Dreamwork

Here’s a suggestion of how to work with your dreams…

1) Write down all you remember about your dream. Often more details come back when you have started writing.

2) Single out 2-6 of the people, places and objects which seem to carry most energy, or which you remember most clearly. If the dream has several sequences, begin with one of these to start with, and concentrate on that. You can repeat the process later with other sequences if you like.

3) Create markers for the elements (people, places, objects, including you if you appear in the scene) of the dream by writing them on pieces of paper, then – using the whole room you are in as the field of the dream – lay down the markers in the way they appeared in the dream (e.g. ‘window’ at the middle of the edge of the room, ‘candle’ in front of window, because it was standing on the window-sill, ‘me’ standing in the middle of the room, ‘tiny mouse’ in the corner).

4) Observe the scene from outside, as if you are the director of the film (you are!). Just let any impressions wash over you. Then feel which of the elements has the most energy for you and step into the scene, standing or sitting (find the most fitting body position) on that marker. Notice how you feel in yourself in that position, as well as how you feel in relation to the other elements, and begin to speak out loud how you feel. Speak in the present tense. For example: “I am a tiny, tiny mouse. I am very, very small. The person looks very tall, I can’t see her face, I feel scared, I feel like I want to run away.”

5) When you have finished speaking, notice from here which element now has the most energy and go there, repeating the process. Allow the elements to interact with each other. Just allow the scene to unfold. If an element needs or wants something to happen, check whether this is OK for the other elements. For example: the window wants to open. But the candle is afraid it will be blown out and needs taking to safety. So the candle asks the person to take it to safety and protect it. She is happy to do this, and this changes something for her too.

–> If you get stuck, step outside into the director’s role again and see what the scene seems to need from outside. What would you suggest if you were a mediator? It may also be that some element is missing: for example, you spend the whole dream looking for the scissors. If so, you can create a marker for the missing element and ask it why it is absent. Often this gives clues about a hidden or forgotten need in your system.

6) Continue until you feel a sense of completion. There is always more to explore, but try to feel when it is enough for now. Instead of trying to understand with your mind what has happened, feel into what has passed. Take the sense of movement or completion with you into the day. At the end, thank the less conscious parts of your psyche for sending you messages and energy. Magically, sending gratitude this way often means that richer and clearer dreams proliferate in the coming time.

These instructions are to be used with self-responsibility. If you feel that you are coming into contact with strong or overwhelming feelings that need the containment of another person to be safely processed, please be loving to yourself and ask for support!